Windows/OS X/Linux: Popcorn Time is a free, open-source tool for browsing, downloading, and watching movies. Browse the app's huge collection of movies and documentaries, pick one, and click play. The app torrents the movie, starts playing it immediately, and streams it while the download finishes in the background.

Popcorn Time's best features are actually its interface and its media library. Other tools, most notably µTorrent, our favorite for Windows and for Mac (not to mention your overall favorite) can also stream a torrent as it's downloading in the background. This app makes it seem like it's just playing though—click "Watch Now" and a video will "buffer" before the download starts and the video starts playing. Once you have the video though, you can watch it again anytime without re-downloading the movie.

While you have a few choices of BitTorrent client on Windows, uTorrent is hands down the best…
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The library is even broken into genres on the left sidebar, including everything from animation, sci-fi, and fantasy to family, sport, and western. Click on any of them to see poster cards for each available film, or just search for what you're interested in using the keyword search bar at the top. I searched for a few not-so-obscure titles and didn't turn up anything, so your mileage may vary there. All in all, Popcorn Time is probably as simple to use as Netflix or XBMC is. Since the app is available for virtually every desktop platform, it makes a great addition to an HTPC.

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We're not going to beat around the bush here—many of the movies in Popcorn Time are copyrighted. Many aren't, and there's plenty of public domain and otherwise free content to watch. As with any tool of this nature, how you use it determines its legality, and the folks behind Popcorn Time pack it full of warnings. They also explain that they're a gateway only—they don't host anything (not even the torrents), there are no ads, they don't make any money from the project, and it's strictly a labor of love. As always, it's up to you how you use your powers. Hit the link below to read more or give it a try.

Update 03/14: Looks like Popcorn Time has officially pulled the plug. The app still works if you have it already or can find a download link, and ours above are still working as of this update - and it's still over at GitHub.

Sponsored

Update 03/17: The team behind Popcorn Time may have left the building, but another group is picking up where they left off. Ars Technica has more here, and the team behind it (YTS—formerly YIFY—the same folks behind Hola Unblocker) have posted new download links here.

Windows/OS X/Linux: Popcorn Time is a free, open-source tool for browsing, downloading, and watching movies. Browse the app's huge collection of movies and documentaries, pick one, and click play. The app torrents the movie, starts playing it immediately, and streams it while the download finishes in the background.

Popcorn Time's best features are actually its interface and its media library. Other tools, most notably µTorrent, our favorite for Windows and for Mac (not to mention your overall favorite) can also stream a torrent as it's downloading in the background. This app makes it seem like it's just playing though—click "Watch Now" and a video will "buffer" before the download starts and the video starts playing. Once you have the video though, you can watch it again anytime without re-downloading the movie.

While you have a few choices of BitTorrent client on Windows, uTorrent is hands down the best…
Read more Read more

The library is even broken into genres on the left sidebar, including everything from animation, sci-fi, and fantasy to family, sport, and western. Click on any of them to see poster cards for each available film, or just search for what you're interested in using the keyword search bar at the top. I searched for a few not-so-obscure titles and didn't turn up anything, so your mileage may vary there. All in all, Popcorn Time is probably as simple to use as Netflix or XBMC is. Since the app is available for virtually every desktop platform, it makes a great addition to an HTPC.

Advertisement

Advertisement

We're not going to beat around the bush here—many of the movies in Popcorn Time are copyrighted. Many aren't, and there's plenty of public domain and otherwise free content to watch. As with any tool of this nature, how you use it determines its legality, and the folks behind Popcorn Time pack it full of warnings. They also explain that they're a gateway only—they don't host anything (not even the torrents), there are no ads, they don't make any money from the project, and it's strictly a labor of love. As always, it's up to you how you use your powers. Hit the link below to read more or give it a try.

Update 03/14: Looks like Popcorn Time has officially pulled the plug. The app still works if you have it already or can find a download link, and ours above are still working as of this update - and it's still over at GitHub.

Sponsored

Update 03/17: The team behind Popcorn Time may have left the building, but another group is picking up where they left off. Ars Technica has more here, and the team behind it (YTS—formerly YIFY—the same folks behind Hola Unblocker) have posted new download links here.